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Magnificat and Nunc dimittis

October 1999; SATB+organ; Magnificat commissioned for the 1st BBC evensong of 2000; first performed in Wells by the catheral choir, St John's Cambridge & the BBC Philharmonic under MacMillan; Nunc commissioned by Winchester and 1st performed 15 July 2000

Introduction

The Magnificat and Nunc dimittis was commissioned in two parts. The Magnificat, in its original version with orchestral accompaniment, was commissioned by the BBC for the first broadcast of Choral Evensong of the new millennium, which came from Wells and was sung by the choirs of Wells Cathedral and St John’s College, Cambridge, with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by the composer. The Nunc dimittis was commissioned by Winchester Cathedral and first performed (alongside the Magnificat in its version with organ accompaniment) on 15 July 2000. The two movements together form a large-scale work that takes over twenty minutes to perform if the full introduction to the Magnificat is used.

The atmosphere MacMillan sets up is quietly meditative and the vocal parts seem to grow out of the stillness of the introduction. A sense of suspended animation, and of awe, is created, giving Mary’s song of praise at being chosen as the mother of Jesus a palpable feeling of wonder. The choir’s simple, unaccompanied, chant-like phrases are interspersed by organ interludes that are Messiaen-like in their evocation of birdsong. A brief moment of darkly latent power from the organ at ‘For he that is mighty hath magnified me’ comes again before ‘He hath shewed strength with his arm’, but this time turns into an extended interlude. The whole movement barely raises its voice and one is reminded of Herbert Howells’ stricture that ‘the mighty should be put down without a brute force which would deny this canticle’s feminine association’. Nevertheless, the powerfully effective build up towards the ‘Gloria Patri’—through the words ‘as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever’, with many repetitions of the words ‘for ever’—leads quite naturally into the massive blocks of sound introduced in the ‘Gloria’. Again, the choir and the organ have separate phrases, the organ playing tutti and the choir singing their chant-like phrases homophonically, a little reminiscent of Tippett’s only setting of these words. The Amens are sung piano by the choir with strong organ interjections. But, at last, the opening of the Magnificat is reiterated by the organ quietly and the canticle reaches its conclusion with a gentle chord of A major. The dedication is to Joyce McMillan, a journalist with The Scotsman newspaper.

The Nunc dimittis begins with static long low notes for the basses and organ pedals. This is Simeon’s song of thanksgiving at the end of his life and MacMillan sets up an opening which exudes exhaustion—almost as if the old man cannot raise his head from the dust to utter his words. The organ breaks into birdsong-like material again after the words ‘according to thy word’, and the pattern of choral phrase with gentle accompaniment and organ interlude with birdsong figuration continues. The words ‘To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel’ begin with the direction serene, but the music soon expands and develops. The organ builds through the vocal parts to develop a toccata-like figuration for the start of the ‘Gloria Patri’ and the choir sings long lines divided between sopranos/tenors and altos/basses. There is a climax and a pause at the words ‘world without end’ before the Amens which recall the ‘Gloria’ to the Magnificat, with huge organ chords and right-hand clusters. A wonderfully lyrical falling phrase, very much like the last movement of MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross, takes the dynamic from forte to piano, and the movement ends as it started with the basses intoning a low E. The Nunc dimittis is dedicated to Patrick Reilly, Emeritus Professor of English Literature at Glasgow University and, as MacMillan wryly notes: ‘a fellow apologist for Catholicism’.

Recordings

James MacMillan is renowned for his highly original yet accessible choral music. His prolific output displays an intrinsic understanding of the human voice and his music will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Wells Cathedral Choir is in fine voi ...» More

Details

My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his handmaiden:
For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and the meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation;
Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.